Of Mud and Baths
by Everlove2dream
Summary: Another short little one-shot of Legolas's childhood. Legolas gets all muddy and is in need of a bath but he will never go into that water willingly. Poor Thranduil.


**AN: hey guys here's my newest story I hope you all enjoy. I've never read all the books I've read the hobbit and the fellowship but I never really finished and it's been a while since I've read them so if there are a lot of issues I'm so sorry let me know and I'll do my best also I'm getting a lot of my elven from online sites so again if there are any issues review or send me a PM. Thanks so much**

It was early morning the sun streamed through the tree's bathing the world in golden light. The sun's rays brightened the bedroom of one little elfling. The golden haired child popped up out of bed as the light filtered into his room. He wiped the sleep out of his eyes and was wide awake in seconds and full of energy. The elfling jumped out of his bed and ran to his closet he pulled on the first clothes that he could get to, a green tunic with blue leggings. He ran a brush through his long hair and threw open the door ready to run and play. Just as he was running from the room, two strong arms wrapped around him lifting him up off the ground "woe there," he turned the child around so the little Greenleaf was facing him, Legolas smiled at Arahael, who smiled back at him. Then he laughed as he took in Legolas's attire "did you get dressed all by yourself?"

"yup I even brushed my hair"

"you've done a remarkable job but I think we need to work on your color choices." He carried his little brother back into his room and set the little boy down on his bed before walking to his closet and fishing out a pair of brown leggings to go with his green tunic. He turned around to get his little brother to change and groaned, his brother was gone and he had not even heard him leave the room. He held onto the brown leggings and left the room in search of his wayward little brother. Since Legolas could walk he had been sneaky and quiet, always managing to slip away from his nursemaids and guards as well as both he and Verrethel. The only two who Legolas was unable to slip away from was their father and eldest brother Thalion. he was immensely proud of his brother's skill, but some day's he wished the boy would stay put for a half a second.

Legolas had not wanted to change his leggings he liked the way he was dressed and that he had done so all by himself and so he had waited for his brother to turn around before slipping from the room. He ran down the hall and toward the palace gardens. It was his favorite place full of nature and life.

The gardens were a mass of greenery from plain shrubs to gorgeous blooming flowers of all varieties, blooming in bunches each separated by winding dirt paths so that the elves could roam between them. And at the gardens center was a giant oak tree of epic proportions. It had been a gift from Legolas's nana to his ada when they were married and it had grown and flourished in the center of the royal gardens.

Legolas made his way outside and smiled as he breathed in the scent of nature. It had rained the night before and the sun had yet to dry up the moisture so the dirt paths had become muddy and covered in puddles of rain water. Legolas didn't mind the mud in fact it made him all the more excited. He pulled off his boots by the doors and laughed as the mud squished between his bare toes. He jumped in every puddle he saw and laughed as water sprayed out around his tiny feet. he held out his hands letting his fingers brush the soft petals of the flowers as he passed. As he got closer to the center the flowers all became roses, the queen's favorite flower. There were red ones and yellow ones and pink ones and blue ones and green ones and orange ones and white ones all blooming in perfection. The little boy smiled as he raced through the roses along the muddy path toward the big oak tree in the middle. Legolas reached the tree slightly out of breath and smiled up at it he put his hand softly on the rough bark "Mae govannen" he greeted the oak. The tree came alive with greetings of its own toward the little elfling it had come to know and cherish. Most wood elves were Intune with the environment and could communicate with the trees but Legolas had a particular affinity when it came to the trees. He understood them clearer than any elf and the trees that had come into contact with the elfling all dearly loved him. Legolas sat at the base of the tree too little to climb into its branches just yet. The little elfling played in the mud at its base making mini mud forts where he would hold imaginary battles in the end destroying the evil forces with a well-aimed rock at its muddy wall. The little elfling played and played forgetting that his brother had been looking for him. Hours passed and Legolas was growing bored playing by himself when he heard shouting "Legolas"

"Greenleaf" he heard the voices of his brothers and his ada and got up excitedly, maybe one of them would play with him. He raced out from under the tree thanking it as he left. He ran out from behind the rose bushes to his ada.

"Ada" he yelled out splashing through a puddle on his way toward his father. His ada took one look at him and sighed his son was a mess; the little elfling's clothes were covered in mud and water and his face was smudged with mud and dirt. The elfling launched himself at his ada and Thranduil caught him careful to keep him away from his own clothes.

"Ai Legolas look at you" Legolas squirmed a bit as his father held him at arm's length. His three brothers came up. Arahael held up the brown leggings he was carrying around and laughed

"I don't think he needs these anymore he's gone and turned his blue ones brown all on his own."

"I think this little elfling needs a bath" Thranduil stated

"No" Legolas struggled in his ada's grip. He knew what a bath was and he did not like them. He didn't understand why his brothers and his ada were so obsessed with being clean. Legolas himself was more than happy being surrounded by the earth in every way possible. Thranduil ignored his son's protests and carried him back into the palace and down the hall towards the baths. They reached the bath house and Thranduil sent Thalion back to his duties and Verrethel back to the healing house. "Arahael go to Legolas's room and pick out some clean clothes for him would you"

"of course adar" Arahael left swiftly. Thranduil put Legolas down and striped off the boys tunic. Thranduil turned for a moment to throw Legolas's disgusting tunic into a small bucket near the door, and in that moment Legolas was loose. Thranduil lunged to catch him, but Legolas managed to slip through his father's hands at the last moment.

"Legolas get back here" Thranduil called out in exasperation. Legolas did not want a bath and he took his chance and ran. he ran down the hall and past his room where Arahael was just exiting

"what, Legolas?" he called out; the boy didn't slow down if anything he ran faster. Thranduil chased behind him

"don't just stand there catch him" that seemed to knock Arahael out of his shock for in a moment he was tearing down the hall with his father after a half-naked elfling covered in mud.

In the throne room Thalion was leading his first court session alone without his father. All was going well when the doors burst open and in ran a tiny figure covered in mud giggling as he ran "hi Thal" the little figure yelled Thalion stared in shock while the rest of those in the room snickered

"Thalion catch Legolas" Thalion heard his brother yell. Thalion smiled at the court and ran after the small little mud boy. The palace was quite a site that day the king and 2 elder princes chasing a dirty little elfling through the palace halls. The people of the court had never laughed so hard. Finally the royal family managed to corner the little elfling. Legolas knowing there was no escape gave in with a pout on his face as his ada picked him up.

"Legolas its good to take a bath, if you don't you'll smell really bad like a warg" Legolas stopped squirming and looked at his father in shock then he wrinkled his nose at being called smelly. Then he got really sad people hated warg's if Legolas smelled like one then would they not like him.

"if I smell like a warg will you stop loving me" Thranduil comforted the little boy

"of course I will Legolas I will never stop loving you little Greenleaf but you don't want to smell bad do you"

"no I guess not"

"then let's go take a bath" despite all that had happened the little Greenleaf still wrinkled his nose at the idea of a bath. They made it back to the bath hall with no further incident. Legolas allowed the king to finish removing his clothing and put him in the bath. Thalion smiled as his little brother splashed around in the tub before leaving to get back to the throne room. Arahael stood by with Legolas's clothing. Thranduil scrubbed Legolas down and washed his hair making sure no mud was left on the small elfling. "alright that's better all nice and clean." Thranduil grabbed a fluffy green towel and wrapped the child in it, drying him off. Arahael got Legolas dressed and Thranduil combed and braided Legolas's golden hair so it hung in one pleat down his back. by the time all this was done it was well past noon. Legolas's stomach growled loudly

"ada I'm hungry" the elfling stated Thranduil smiled

"I think we all are penneth" and so the little elfling followed his ada and his brother to the great hall they were joined shortly by Thalion and Verrethel.

"what is this I hear about a mud covered elfling running around the palace" Verrethel asked smiling as the little boy blushed red. Legolas ate his food and in a matter of minutes found himself yawning. He had had a busy morning of fun and mischief. "I think it might be time for a nap" Verrethel stated looking outside and judging the time and realizing that this was Legolas's regular nap time. Thranduil smiled down at his son

"tired penneth"

"no ada I'm wide awake" Legolas tried to lie hiding a yawn as he said it.

"really? well ok then how about we go for a walk then?" the little elf brightened thinking he had fooled his father and nodded Thranduil scooped the little elf into his arms and walked out and through the halls. "I'll do the walking for the both of us how's that?" Legolas nodded sleepily and was soon fast asleep in his father's arms. He walked them back to the boy's room and settled him down onto the bed tucking him in. Thranduil kissed his youngest son on the forehead and turned to leave. "le melon Ion nin" he whispered.

_Ada- dad_

_Adar- father_

_Nana- mom_

_Penneth- little one_

_Ion nin- my son_

_Le melon- I love you_

**AN: that's the end of that one. I want to thank all those who are reading this and especially Frodo's sister and Teapot of transformation for reviewing. Please review guys and if you have any stories that you'd like to see little Legolas in then please let me know and I'll do my best to make it happen.**

**_Preview—Legolas had always wondered about the giant spiders that were said to roam the forests of his home he had seen little ones before and he couldn't imagine them being as big as they said and so he decided as he stared at the picture in the book that he needed to see one for himself. _**


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